I think I have finally unlocked the secret to crispy smoked chicken wings on a grill!
I've tried the corn starch dredge, I've tried the baking powder dusting, I've tried dry brining, I've tried extreme dehydrating in the fridge for days.... None of that really hit the mark.
Not that any of those ideas wont help, but I've found the trick that improves on them all!
I decided to make chicken wings at around 3 p.m. today. Took the frozen wings out of the bag and put them in a bowl full of water, changing it until they were remotely thawed.
So, these wings were cold and WET! The exact opposite of what you want if you're trying to make smoked crispy wings!
I did dry brine for two hours and applied Malcom Reed's The BBQ Rub during the last half-hour in the fridge.
Meanwhile, I got the fire going in the Webber Kettle with the Vortex accessory in the "volcano" setup, and the bottom and top vents wide open. I put a little chunk of peach wood on the grate above the volcano for smoke.
I arranged foil as tightly as I could between the Vortex and the sides of the Kettle. I did not want cool air rising from the bottom around the wings. Instead, most of the air is forced up through the Vortex. This is key for that "air fryer" effect.
By doing this, the kettle was rocking at 550 degrees according to the lid thermometer. This is about 100 degrees hotter than I can achieve without the foil baffle. The wings were placed skin side up around the Vortex and were never turned. They toasted up quickly and you could hear them sizzle.
But here's the next stroke of genius:
After about 20 minutes, I hit them with some avocado oil spray, then let them go for another 10 minutes. The Thermopen temped them at 200+ degrees when I pulled them. Total cook time was only 30 minutes.
THIS is the secret I've been looking for! The oil basically fries them in their skins under the 500+ degrees of convection heat, and they were crispy as could be.
Best wings I've ever made!
I've tried the corn starch dredge, I've tried the baking powder dusting, I've tried dry brining, I've tried extreme dehydrating in the fridge for days.... None of that really hit the mark.
Not that any of those ideas wont help, but I've found the trick that improves on them all!
I decided to make chicken wings at around 3 p.m. today. Took the frozen wings out of the bag and put them in a bowl full of water, changing it until they were remotely thawed.
So, these wings were cold and WET! The exact opposite of what you want if you're trying to make smoked crispy wings!
I did dry brine for two hours and applied Malcom Reed's The BBQ Rub during the last half-hour in the fridge.
Meanwhile, I got the fire going in the Webber Kettle with the Vortex accessory in the "volcano" setup, and the bottom and top vents wide open. I put a little chunk of peach wood on the grate above the volcano for smoke.
I arranged foil as tightly as I could between the Vortex and the sides of the Kettle. I did not want cool air rising from the bottom around the wings. Instead, most of the air is forced up through the Vortex. This is key for that "air fryer" effect.
By doing this, the kettle was rocking at 550 degrees according to the lid thermometer. This is about 100 degrees hotter than I can achieve without the foil baffle. The wings were placed skin side up around the Vortex and were never turned. They toasted up quickly and you could hear them sizzle.
But here's the next stroke of genius:
After about 20 minutes, I hit them with some avocado oil spray, then let them go for another 10 minutes. The Thermopen temped them at 200+ degrees when I pulled them. Total cook time was only 30 minutes.
THIS is the secret I've been looking for! The oil basically fries them in their skins under the 500+ degrees of convection heat, and they were crispy as could be.
Best wings I've ever made!
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